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Every three years or so, I can’t resist the temptation to buy disposable razors at Costco. Given the disposables are about $1 each, they are about a third of the price of buying razor cartridges. About a week into the purchase, however, I am reminded why I prefer the cartridges. While more expensive, the cartridges provide a better shave and they last about 3 times as long. While the initial impression I get is that I am getting a bargain, I sacrifice quality and at best I am breakeven on the transaction.
What examples do you have on times when a focus on price was more costly than if you’d ponied up for a better quality product in the first place?
Kyle, I did the same thing at Costco with the razor situation, but I watch the sales on those cartridges as well. Those new super duper ones are almost $4+ a piece but I stick with the Turbo type for $2+ or so, and ONLY buy them when on sale! But remember, after trying those $1 disposables, the GREAT thing about Costco is you can return the rest of them and get a FULL refund. My favorite stores besides Costco, is Nordstrom, Amazon and Lowes’s which all have EXCELLENT goods and return policies.
quality counts in everyday purchases like the new roof to tree removal we went with a local company that was a little more expensive but both had great reputations just in case any problems……well worth it for peace of mind which is worth every $$$
We do not skimp on food quality. We grow a lot of organic fruits and veggies. We eat almost all our meals at home and are very particular about ingredient sourcing, quality and nutrition.
We buy the best we can afford. A specific store for Basmati rice, a specific online source for spices, a specific Japanese source for green tea and so on. And we invest in quality cookware – no non-stick or plastic.
Computers. I bought e-Machines, Lenovo, and HP, some with AMD CPUs, and even built my own before deciding the extra quality of Dell with Intel CPUs was worth it.
Earlier in my career I owned a 4 plex rental and did most of my own maintenance. I learned pretty quickly that with building materials (plumbing fixtures, roofing materials, etc) good quality products held up much better than cheap quality products. I particularly hated maintenance work that was now necessary due to inferior quality materials used when the building was built. Usually the savings originally realized were trivial but the later remediation was hard and costly.
With flat feet and planter fasciitis, shoes are my challenge. Like the author, also opt for the more expensive razor cartridges; they cost more but one lasts all month, and razor bumps are a thing of the past. I too made the mistake of buying corn chips at a dollar store. Frito Lay can rest assured that I will never cheat on them again!
I bristle at the idea of buying any pair of shoes over $50, so my wife buys shoes for me as gifts. A few years ago she bought me a pair of Keen hiking shoes. They fit my feet great and were durable. Now I’m a fan, but still don’t like their price. 🙂
I’ve built three houses in my lifetime. On the first two, I used economy tools. On the third (and final!), I upgraded most of my tools to the DeWalt brand. I noticed a difference in ease of use, performance, and improved results.
My son now has the Craftsman tools that my grandfather bought.
I still use tools my grandfather owned. One of the garden tools I use weekly. Not only does it possess superior quality, but a lot of good memories come with it!
Good topic. Since it’s such a major purchase, I find buying a higher priced, quality auto to be a better value in the long run. I know there are lots of reliable cars out there, but, as a rule, it’s hard to go wrong with Honda or Toyota.
Sorry about the shoes, Jonathan. I had better success with marked-down Coke-Haans I bought 3-4 years ago—still comfy and generating compliments. Same with deeply discounted Italian dress shoes. They still look good and wear well on the second set of soles.
But razors have been my nemesis. Clark Howard convinced me that the latest styles are a ripoff, so I suffered through years of nicks from single blades until I was given a new one with five blades. The shave is smooth, it’s impossible to cut myself and I get weeks—months?—of shaves from one razor. Not going back.
Tools: When I worked in construction, I bought only the best. But afterward, with pennies on the brain, I wouldn’t spend the money for seldom-used items. But, I’m through with that practice. Cheap tools cost more in the long-run, and are a pain to use.
I was tempted a few times to buy generic or foreign brand snacks at the dollar store. They tasted like cardboard. On the other hand, buying a known brand well within use by date is a bargain.
I am, alas, all too tempted by “bargain” prices. My most painful experience involved a pair of black leather Cole Haan shoes I spotted at an outlet mall in Flemington, New Jersey. The shoes were marked down from $300 to $75. How could I resist? Every time I wore those shoes, my feet screamed. Still, I persisted, determined to get my money’s worth. But there was a payoff: Even today, when I see something that looks like a bargain, I remember those shoes — and I’m a little less likely to bite.
As a very young adult I bought a pair of Florsheim wing tips. They were God awful uncomfortable. I know Florsheim is a good shoe, but I’ve never bought another of their shoes since.
I remember an adage I learned 50 years ago from a buddy’s uncle. “Two things in life you should always buy quality – a bed and shoes – cause if you ain’t in one you’re in the other”.
Are you sure you bought the right size Jonathan?
It wasn’t the size. It was the leather. It was so damn stiff that I could never break in the shoes.